Davis blasted over death penalty call

Shadow home secretary David Davis was today under attack from all sides after calling for the return of the death penalty.

His demand for lethal injections to be given to multiple murderers was attacked by Labour, the Liberal Democrats and his own party.

The Tories were quick to insist newly-appointed Mr Davis had been speaking personally and that the party's policy of opposing the death penalty would not change.

Former prime minister John Major warned that hardline views were not likely to win back the support from the centre ground that was badly needed for the Tories.

On the death penalty, he added: "I certainly always voted against it, and if my recollection is right, Michael Howard always voted against it."

Mark Oaten, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman said: "This is the most obscene remark made by a senior politician in recent years and signals a shift to the Right of terrifying proportions.

"If the death penalty had been in place for the last 30 years, dozens of people who were later proved innocent would have been killed."

A Labour Party spokesman said: "In his first major interview David Davis is now pushing something that isn't even his own party's policy, in an attempt to take the Tories even further to the Right." Mr Davis said there were "narrow circumstances" under which he believes capital punishment should apply. He said of multiple murderers: "These people pick their victims very cynically, I'm afraid.

"Then this is obviously an evil and premeditated attack and, in that case, there could be a deterrent effect. We are talking about lives here."

But he stressed that this was his personal view and was "unlikely in my political lifetime to come to pass".

The issue is considered one of conscience at the Commons, where MPs of all parties are traditionally given a free vote whenever it arises.